Shades of Blue
by EmbersOfLife
Summary: We all have secrets right? I mean, mistakes that were not too proud of? That's kind of what that 'one night' was to me, but it was a secret that I tried to forget about. Even though it happened almost 4 years ago, I couldn't forget it and I never would have thought that a little, mutant girl would be the result of that mistake. Meet Denmark, my daughter. Leonardo and OC
1. Chapter 1

**This is my…third FanFiction but my second story….if that makes any sense lol. The last series was actually more successful than I thought it would be. Anyway, enough about me xD I hope you guys like this new story. There will be no sequel! Heads up. This story is set in the 2003 universe.**

**Disclaimer! I don't own TMNT!**

: Chapter 1:

We all have secrets right? I mean, things that were not too proud of and don't want to share with anyone? That's kind of what she was to me, but she was a secret that I tried to forget about for that very reason. Even though it happened almost 4 years ago, I still remember it like it happened just 34_hours _ago. What triggered this awful memory in the back of my mind? The night Raphael walked through the lair's doors as drunk as a sailor.

"Raph!" I screamed out to him as he collapsed onto the floor. "Don, Mike, get out of here!" I demanded my little brothers and they instantly stopped what they were doing and took off into their bedrooms. Our Sensei, Master Splinter, had turned in for the night so I would try my best to beat the hell out of our hotheaded brother without waking up our father. I relentlessly pulled Raph by the back of his red bandana strings until he looked up at me. His normal, forest green skin, was an ugly yellowish color and it perfectly matched the shade of his teeth. This wasn't the first time he'd been out drinking. I kept it a secret from Sensei and my brothers but I made him promise never to get hung over at the level he was now. I picked up his water heavy body and brought him to the center of our lair where the living room was. I laid him on the couch while he moaned and started laughing for no apparent reason. I quickly grabbed the first slop bucket I could find and placed it on the floor next to him, just in case. I went over to our small kitchen and ran a rag under some cool water from our faucet. I grabbed a few water bottles from the fridge and took it and the wet rag over to my brother. I put the rag on his forehead and occasionally poured some water from the bottles on it to make it wet again.

"You're so dead Raphael." I threatened him as he started to faintly respond to my presence.

"Leo? You're so beautiful." He lifted one of his three fingered hands up to my cheek and slapped it. I swallowed my anger and tried not to snap his neck right there and then. "Kiss me." His hands reached behind my neck and tried to pull me in close to his face. I took the open water bottle and dumped the entire thing on him to get him to stop. He released his grip and swore under his breath. "You're on my hit list Donnie!" His very strong Brooklyn accent made him extremely intimidating even while he was out of it.

"Donnie didn't do that Raph. I did, Leonardo."

"Leonardo? You're that guy from that movie!" He grabbed my face with his hand and laid it on his plastron. I grabbed his arms to try and wrestle free but he was so much stronger than me for some reason.

"From that movie with the boat, uh…what's his name?" His voice was slurring and trailing off at the end of each sentence. When I didn't respond he tightened his grip on me and pulled my entire body up onto the couch so I was lying right on top of him. I sure hope Don and Mikey didn't walk into the room and see this, let alone Master Splinter.

"Leonardo Dicaprio?" I finally answered.

"That's the guy!" He slapped the top of my head and pulled me in closer to his hard plastron. "I love you bro."

"Wait till the guys here about this."

Raph finally fell asleep a few hours later after releasing his stomach contents at least 6 times throughout the night. I stayed there with him, on top of him, so he wouldn't yell and wake up the others. The only thing that kept me from getting up and slicing his throat with one of my katana was the fact that he couldn't help how he was acting. But he could have helped it, if he hadn't gotten drunk in the first place.

At about 6am I unraveled from his grasp and fled the couch. I stood there and watched him as he twitched and moaned like a little child. He was going to get it the moment his eyes flashed open.

"Hey Leo." Don came stalking into the dark living room with his big round eyes beaming down at Raphael. His olive green skin was hard to see in the poor lighting in our lair but his purple bandana stuck out like a penguin in the snow. A huge smile lit up on his face as he watched the sleeping, hung-over giant.

"Is he drunk?" he asked with a grin.

"Oh yeah" I crossed my arms and sighed. This was the first time Don has ever seen one of his brothers like this.

"He drinks?"

"Yeah, it's a long story Donnie. I tell you after I use Raph's shell to wax the floors."

"He's drunk?" A lime green turtle came tiptoeing into the living room with one hand over his mouth. "I can't believe it. This is great we can bust him for life!" The ends of his orange bandana were shorter than the rest of ours. Our Sensei awarded each of us with longer strings when we mastered Bushido but for various reasons, Michelangelo hadn't quite gotten there yet.

"Take it easy Mike, no one is busting anyone. Even though it would be the right thing to do, we can't sell him out to Splinter. Don't worry though; I'm ganna deal with him." I looked down on our little beat up sofa as Raphael's body stirred to life. He moaned and held his hand to his head.

"Where…where am I?" He slowly sat up on the couch and threw his head in between his knees. Some of the color was back in his body but it was still too noticeable where he had been last night. I noticed a few new scars had formed on the back of his shell too.

"Raph…" I kept my voice low and stern as he looked up at me. "We had a deal. No hangovers."

"Relax Leo; I'm 21 I think I'm allowed to do whatever I want." Raph was known, by me, to show very few symptoms of alcohol abuse. He usually was back to his old self after going to bed or taking a cold shower which was probably why Don, Mike and Sensei never knew what he was up to, until now obviously.

He was right though. Legally he was allowed to drink but in my world, I found it to be a common activity of the humans, not Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I still had Don and Mikey's innocence as they both were too young to start yet, with Don hitting 18 and Mikey at 16. I was old enough, being 24 and obviously more wise then the rest of my brothers, but I never engaged in becoming drunk, except for that one night which no one knows about.

"That doesn't make it right Raphael!" I caught myself raising my voice but then quietly lowering it. "I told you it was alright if you went out and had a "few" drinks but never to come back here hung-over for Don and Mikey's sake. What if Sensei had found you like this instead of me?!" I thought I was finally getting to him as he stood up off the couch and sighed. But instead, he took his right arm and swung his huge fist towards my face. I used my hand to grab it and twist his arm violently to the side. He growled in pain and I refused to let go until he was on his knees at my feet. He slowly went down and tapped my wrist with his free hand. I let him go. Sometimes they just needed to be reminded who was in charge. I catch myself doing this more with Raph than the other two who thankfully, obeyed _most_ of my orders.

"I'm goin to bed." He slowly got up off the ground and took off to his room after spitting in my direction.

"Well that was pleasant." Don giggled.

"Hey Leo, can I get drunk too? It looks fun!" Mikey asked.

"NO! He's lucky I didn't rip his whole arm off. No drinking until I give you the ok." I told them.

"You mean till we're 21 which is the legal drinking age?" Don smiled.

"What did I just say?"

They lowered their heads and looked at the ground. I wondered if I was too hard on them sometimes but it didn't matter. I was doing it for their safety and I hoped someday they could understand that, especially Raphael.

**Do you guys think I should have longer or shorter chapters? For those of you who have read my other stories, I try to have at least 2,500 words in a chapter but I wasn't sure if I should change that to make shorter ones or just let them be longer. The benefits of having shorter chapters is, I will be able to upload everyday compared to uploading every other day but have more for you guys to read. The downside of shorter chapters is, it's a quicker read. Compared to chapters being longer, if you like it you have to wait longer for the update. Please, let me know! Feedback is extremely appreciated good or bad! **


	2. Chapter 2

**I use this symbol:: to represent a small jump in time. Sorry it's confusing but it's easier to keep track of everything that way lol. **

: Chapter 2:

That day carried on normally like any other one would have. When our Sensei asked why Raphael was absent, as usual; we covered his sorry ass and lied to our own father just to protect him.

Splinter was growing old and the effects of age were starting to wear on him more and more every day. I took the responsibility of training my brothers instead of him. When I first started about a year ago, it was extremely difficult and I couldn't imagine myself doing it for much longer. But then, I got the hang of it and learned how to get each of my brothers to cooperate. So now them and I, mind Raphael, were standing in the dojo waiting for Mikey to strike one of our target dummies.

"Any day now would be nice." Don was twirling his long wooden Bo-Staff around in violent circles as he stood there waiting. Don was known for being the smart brother of the family. He knew every answer of every question you could possibly throw at him but the one thing he really needed to work on was his patience.

"I'm trying to figure out how to approach this creature…" Mikey held his hand to his chin and tapped it with the longest of his three fingers. This type of annoying behavior was normal for him since he's the wild child of us. He never took training seriously until I finally stepped in and set him straight but it looks like today he wanted to be a plain pain in the shell.

"It's a cloth figurine Mikey! How long does it take?! It's not even moving!" Don sheathed his staff and threw his hands into the air.

"Don relax. You're giving him what he wants." I sent my brother a reassuring smile to try and calm him down. "As for you Mikey, you have 10 seconds or else I'm replacing that dummy with the real thing." I pointed to him.

"Are you calling me dumb?" He gasped.

"Yes, now go."

"You know what I don't get?" Mikey asked, making Don collapse onto the floor and moan. "Why we even have to train? We killed shredder and the purple dragons and there's barely any action going on in the city anymore!"

"Because Mikey, we need to stay sharp just in case and be prepared for anything. Now stop arguing and hit the dummy before Don explodes." I commanded the little turtle.

"Ok…one…two…" Mike pulled out his nun-chucks, heavy pieces of metal that were connected on both sides of a strong iron chain, and lunged for the figurine. With one simple swing, he dislodged the head from the dummy and sent it rolling onto the floor.

"Very good." I praised him

"Finally!" Don smiled. I looked at the small wooden clock we had in the dojo and read the time. We've been in here for almost 5 hours. I suppose a break is in order.

"Alright guys, that's enough for today."

"YES!" MIkey was the first to bolt out the door with Donatello walking slowly behind him. I couldn't help but chuckle softly to myself and roll my eyes.

"Hey Leo? Yah got a minute?" Raph caught me at the doorway by surprise.

"Uh…I suppose…" I walked back into the dojo with Raphael who leaned in close to me and spoke with a hushed voice.

"I aint proud of what I did last night bro." My heart almost skipped a beat when he said that.

"I'm glad you've finally come around Raph." I put an arm on his shoulder and gave him a smile.

"No I mean, If I had to do it again, I'd rather not do it alone." He smiled back as mine receded.

"What are you talking about?"

"You and me, tonight. Let's go topside and have a few drinks together just the two of us."

"Raph!" I pushed him away. "I don't drink and I don't care if I'm of age! I just don't do that."

"You're lyin bro. You and I both know you've had to have gone out at least once in yah pathetic life." He tilted his head and grinned at me. That's what he did to get what he wanted, he gets under my skin and I'm foolish to say it works most of the time. "Look at it this way, if yah don't go with me, I'll go myself and maybe _accidently _have one drink too many."

"You…"

"I would."

As much as I hated him right now, refusing his offer could spell disaster for him. He'll get so drunk that he'll go out and do something stupid and get himself killed and I don't know _how _but he'll do it because that's just what Raph does.

"I can make you stay here if I wanted to."

"Oh really?"

"I'm your leader and you have to do what I tell you."

"Please big brother, I don't _have _to do anything." He pulled out his weapons, three blades sharpened to the point called Sais, and twisted them in the air. I rolled my eyes. This wasn't the first time he dueled with me because he wasn't going to get his own way.

"Raph…I'm not fighting you. I'm not in the killing mood." I pointed at him. He chuckled deeply and looked back at me with an evil smirk that only he was ever able to pull off.

"You could change your mind before I beat the hell out of yah. Besides, you can't contain me here. I'm going with or without yah sorry ass."

"Oh yeah?" I pulled out one of my katana and let its sharp end graze the bottom of the brick floor. "I guess I'll have to beat you for the fifth time this week."

"Enough!" Our sensei walked into the dojo and slammed the end of his walking stick on the ground. Raph and I instantly sheathed our weapons and bowed. "I expect more from you Leonardo! You are the leader!" I looked over at Raph who had crossed his huge arms over his chest and grinned. Physically, I was no match for him but strategically, I could beat him in a duel any day. "You two will leave this lair at once! I will not have two of my best warriors be fighting and arguing. Go!" Splinter coughed a few times at the end of his sentence and pointed an old boney finger to the exit. Raph and I bowed once again and took off out the door. I would never hear the end of this.

**::**

Since it was around mid-summer, the days were longer so by the time our Sensei demanded us out of the house, the sun was still illuminating the sky. Raph and I went to the hidden spot where we turtles keep our disguises for daylight patrolling which happened to be behind a dumpster in a close by ally above the sewers. We covered our bodies with long trench coats and a pair of hats and gloves. We would sweat like crazy in these things thanks to our part human DNA but it would have to do until our Sensei allowed us to return.

"Might as well go to the bar while we're at it bro." Raph said after adjusting his hat to fit his awkwardly shaped head.

"You set this up didn't you?" I looked at him and crossed my arms awkwardly since they were stuck inside a coat that was too small for my arms.

"Bro, why would I do that? Cmon don't be ridiculous." He smirked and slapped my shell. "Let's go." Whenever Raph and I were alone, I usually let him lead so he could get the fact that he _wasn't_ leader out of his system. If he would begin to make a stupid decision though, I would usually but in and correct him.

"Fine but were not going to the bar." I walked at his side as we stepped out of the ally and onto the bright streets of the City. You could barely take 5 steps without someone bumping into you or you bumping into them. It was extremely crowded at this time of day and I didn't like it one bit especially when you're a Mutant Ninja Turtle.

"Did you hear me Raph?" I said as we stopped at the first crosswalk.

"Yah yah fearless I heard yah but who says I'm ganna listen?" A few girls standing next to him giggled and whispered to each other. One of them looked at Raph and started to twirl her bright blonde hair.

"Excuse me?" She asked him. "Where are you from?" She had a really strong German accent and I wondered if it was real or if she was just making fun of Raphael since he also carried a strong accent as well.

"Brooklyn." The girls giggled again as he answered.

"Brooklyn's a cool place." The German girl said. I sighed and shook my head.

"Thanks girls." The crosswalk turned green and the group of people waiting to go, flushed across the street to the other side along with Raph and I. "Yah see bro? Good things happen when yah let loose."

"How is getting attention from girls a good thing? If anything they slow you down and affect your training."

"Bro, you haven't lived have you?" He chuckled and threw his right arm around me awkwardly. Even though I was three years older, Raph towered over me like a giant but that never stopped me from kicking the hell out of him in the dojo, or ever.

"Define 'lived'" I said with a smile.

"Come on…we're goin for some drinks."

**::**

I haven't been to a bar like this in years. And when I say "like this" I mean huge with what seemed like millions of people. The actual place you order your drinks was outlined on the perimeter of the room and a huge stage was in the center with a runway and a long steel pool at the end that was connected form the ceiling to the floor.

"Raph I don't know about this!" I practically had to scream to the top of my lungs for him to hear me over the loud music and cheering people.

"Leo, sometimes yah just gotta forget about bein uptight and treat yourself to somethin nice!" Raph pumped his fist in the air to the music while a very skimpy waitress brought us to our seats at the bar.

"Raph…where are we?" I asked him.

"Where do yah think we are?! The North Pole?" He slapped the back of my head and he's lucky I didn't pull out a katana and slice his hand right off.

The more time I spent in this place the more I started to get a liking for it. I had forgotten what it was like to let loose but I guess that's what being leader means. "Leo, the reason I brought yah here is because I wanted to talk to yah."

"While getting drunk?" I raised my brow. He simply chuckled and nodded his head.

"You know Splinter is gettin older and he aint ganna be with us forever." He began. My stomach tightened as I imagined the day one of my brothers or I would find our cherished Sensei and father, dead somewhere in the lair. "What's yah plan once he's gone? You won't have to listen to him no more."

"How could you say that Raphael?! If it weren't for him we all would be dead by now! Four little baby mutant turtles with nowhere to go, dead by starvation or better yet, eaten by some other creature!" I grabbed the collar of his trench coat and held him close to my face. "I bet your counting down the days."

"I aint!" He shoved me away forcefully and straightened his coat. "I'm just thinkin ahead!"

"You don't have to Raph. Don't you think I've been preparing for that too?" I started to calm down. "I'm worried that without Sensei, Don and Mikey will turn out like us." At this, Raph looked taken aback.

"Whatya mean 'like us'? Your life aint screwed up! Yah the great and powerful Sensei you don't got it nearly rough as some other people!"

"You don't think I've tried to get my taste for the high life? I've had my fair share of mistakes!"

"Huh?" He suddenly shot me a sympathetic look so I quickly turned away and refused eye contact.

"That's why I blew up on you when you walked into the layer hung-over. If I couldn't save you from making the same mistake I did, how would I save Don and Mike?"

"Leo…what happened? Yah actually had a moment when yah weren't bossin everyone around?" He scooted his chair closer to me and laid his arm on my shell.

"Nothing Raph. Can we just…get our drinks and go?"

"Not until yah tell me. If yah didn't already know all my secrets I would offer to tell you one of them in return." He slapped my head and laughed. I sighed in defeat. I've been longing to tell someone for over four years and even though Raph drove me up the wall, I knew I could trust him. Hopefully if I gave him an example of "this is what happens when you be an idiot and get drunk," he would follow it.

"It's nothing really. It was that night Sensei got mad at us for some reason and hit you out of anger. I came up here, balled my eyes out and got wasted away. The only thing I could remember from that night was some girl and judging by my condition when I finally came to, we had done some things I probably will live to regret." I was expecting Raph to burst out laughing but instead he squeezed my shoulder and apologized.

"Man, I had no idea. And I've been treatin you like crap all these years. Yah actualy cried? I aint never seen you cry before."

"It's fine. But now you see why I don't want to be here."

"What can I get for you two gentleman?" A tall woman with carrot colored hair stood across from us at the bar. She had on a low cut blouse and her hair was pulled neatly back into a bun behind her head. She was probably one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen, then again, I never really see women all that much and that's ok; because I'm sure they would prefer not to see…all this. Raph looked at me for consultation; I knew I would regret it when I waved my hand like "what the hell."

"Only one though Raph." I ordered.

"A couple of scotch will do babe, on the rocks." Raph handed her a bill. She took it and stuffed it into a little pocket on her shit.

"Good to see you again Raph." The woman said.

"What?!" I hadn't noticed how loud I had shouted until a few people down the row looked back at me with strange looks. "You know her?! You know him?!"

"Of course, Raph's a regular here. Luckily we didn't have to douse him with water recently." She smiled while placing two small glasses on the counter.

"Bro, it's not as bad as it sounds." He tried to put a hand on my shoulder but I jumped up from my seat and stormed off. I already knew Raph was out doing things he wasn't suppose too, but I guess it was just hard for me to swallow especially after I just told him huge secret of mine. I stormed for the door with my coat flowing behind me. Suddenly, I was stopped by the bouncer and asked to take a seat. Luckily for him I wasn't angry enough to pull out a katana.

"I should be allowed to leave whenever I want."

"Not when the shows about to begin punk." He pointed to the stage that began to illuminate with bright fluorescent lights. The crowd started screaming and cheering for the two women that waltzed onto the runway in barely any clothing.

"Please let me through!" I asked again and for the last time before I would fight my way out.

"Is someone tryin to get away?" A loud voice boomed throughout the room. I turned around slowly and saw one of the ladies walking over to me and pushing desperate men out of her way with a small microphone in her hand. "No one leaves without their ticket out the door." She pulled the collar to my trench coat and pulled herself against my plastron. I was surprised as she didn't even react to the un-natural feel of it. She slowly began to pull me through the crowd and onto the stage in the bright lights. The entire room was exploding with roars and cheering as the women relieved me of my coat, hat and gloves and threw it into the crowd. I was officially just standing there in my Light blue bandana and protective gear, frozen like a statue, a deer in headlights. The reaction I got from the crowd was completely unexpected. They…liked it. The spotlights beamed down on my sea green skin and I felt almost naked in front of all these people but somewhere inside me was actually enjoying it.

"Looks like we got ourselves one of those Ninja Turtles!" The woman with the microphone called out while running her hand across my back and pulling out one of my katana. The crowd of hundreds exploded as she wielded it in her arms. I was still in shock that these people knew who we were. We had kept a pretty low profile for the most part up until Shredders defeat. Then we let ourselves be seen by the people whenever we made smaller recues at night. I peeked over at Raph who had his arms up on the counter and appeared to be loving the show. I wonder how many stabs through the heart it would take to kill him.

"I'm sorry…how do you know me?" I asked them.

"Please! All the vigilantes are known here!" The woman swung my sword right at my face but I used both my hands to stop the blade and pull it from her grasp. The crowd loved it, especially the ladies who were starting to crawl up onto the stage.

"Relax ladies you'll have your chance!"

"What? No you don't understand I…" I begged them to let me go but they refused. They ran their sharp nails across my plastron and slowly made their way down into some treacherous waters but I let them and I have no idea why. The second girl on stage threw her hands around my neck and fingered the lining of my bandana. Chills ran up from my feet up through my entire body and I knew I had to get out of before I would start to like the attention. It was too late though and Raph was right, it felt good to let go once in a while so I let a small smile cross my face.

"YO! There's a kid in here!" The call from someone in the audience that called out suddenly stopped the two women from almost ripping my shell off in pleasure. The girls snapped their necks towards the audience and looked fiercely into the crowd.

"Where? Bouncers!" Two huge men broke in and started to look for this possible child but I spotted it before they did. It tried to make its way through the crowd and up to the front of the stage. It had on a burette and a small gray coat that dragged on the ground behind it but before it reached its destination, the two bouncers scooped it up and brought it to the door. I could tell the child was female by the way she kicked and screamed in a high pitched tone. She was so small and looked only a few years old.

"Get outta here!" The bouncer kicked the kid out the door and shut it behind him.

"HEY!" I leaped over the stage and punched the huge guy right in the stomach. He went crashing to the floor but managed to pull out what looked like a Taser gun.

"Leo! Let's beat it!" Raph pushed his way through cheering people and joined me at the door. "Come on!" We finished off the last guy and shoved our way out of the bar. "Here." He handed me my outfit and I quickly threw it on. "Let's go home. I think yah lived enough for one night." 


	3. Chapter 3

: Chapter 3:

Raph and I treaded through the dark, mucky waters of the sewers that would lead back to our lair. We still had on our disguises and since our expedition was cut short by the incident in the bar, we couldn't return them to their original hiding place.

"Look I'm sorry alright? I didn't know they were ganna do that to yah." We had been walking in complete silence up until this point when our lair was only about another mile away. I don't know what came through me but whatever it was, it made me suddenly grow furious and lash out at my brother. I grabbed Raphael's carapace and slammed him against one of the sewers brick walls. He grabbed my wrists and growled as I pulled him close to my face.

"Don't ever mention this day to anyone, got it?!" I flipped his body over my shoulder and he landed in the water, unfortunately breaking his fall. "You know what, I'm glad you took me there. It showed me that I need to stick to my role as your leader! That's what we're supposed to do Raph, keep you out of trouble! Not drag ourselves into it!"

Raph slowly stood up out of the water and rubbed his arm across his mouth.

"Fine, who needs yah! I try to do summthin nice and yah gotta go and be a dick about it!" He threw his hands in the air. Part of his face was shaded by the gloominess of the sewers, giving him a devilish look. Suddenly, when he looked ready to lung for me and attack, he perked up and looked down the darkened sewer tunnel. "Did yah hear that?" His tone of voice changed.

"Hear what?" I refused to turn away from him and allow myself to be caught off guard so I kept my gaze on his dark red mask.

"I think we're bein followed." He took off walking back the way we came with his Sais gripped tightly in his hands.

"Raph wait!" I ran after him while unsheathing my swords. I was about ready to tackle him from behind when I heard it too. It sounded like someone breathing and shivering. "I heard it now."

"I tell yah summthin, I aint in the mood right now whoever you are!" Raph growled and started stabbing his weapons into the darkness, occasionally hitting a wall or scaring a couple of rats.

"Raph stop! You don't even know who it is! It could be Don or Mikey or…"

"They know better than to sneak up on me!" He drew his left hand back behind his shoulders and threw one of his Sai right into a dark sewer ally. When it hit on what I guessed was a wall, a small yelp escaped the area followed by what sounded like little high pitched sobs.

"Your mine now…" He sheathed his remaining Sai and walked right into the shadows, having no idea who or what was on the other side. There was a small struggle but soon Raphael emerged, carrying a small person in one hand. It looked all too familiar though, long trench coat and a small burette on the top of its head that covered its face.

"Please let me go!" She screamed and sounded like she was only a few years old.

"Why are yah following us kid?!" Raph dropped her on the ground and put his hands on his hips.

"I'm sorry; I saw you outside and I had nowhere else to go." She dug the tip of her shoe into the ground and twisted her body from side to side.

"Don't yah know it aint good to sneak up on a ninja?!"

"I'm sorry sir." She ran her arm across her eyes and wiped away a few tears.

"Well…where's yah parents?" He knelt down and threw one hand into the air, making the little girl jump. She didn't answer; she just turned away from him and began to sniffle.

"I'm lost."

"Well yah can't stay here. It aint safe."

"Raph…" He looked up at me in disgust. "She's a kid. We can't just leave her topside when she has nowhere to go."

"So yah callin the shots now Leo? No pun intended." He stood up and crossed his hands over his chest.

"Yah I am Raph, it's my call." I walked up to the girl ever so slowly, in fear of scaring her away. She looked up at me and took a few steps back. "Come on, we'll help you find your parents." I held my hand out to her.

"Goodie!" She threw her arms in the air and hugged my leg. I smiled and tried to pull her off but she was strong for a kid her age.

"Ok Kid, I need my leg back." I laughed softly.

"Sorry." She jumped off and smiled then raised her arms in the air again. I looked at Raph, then at her.

"What is it?"

"Pick me up!" She jumped up and down and giggled.

"Uh…" I hesitated.

"Cmon Leo, you wanted her, so take her." Raph grinned and started to walk down the tunnel. I scooped the girl into my arms and then caught up with him. "So what's yah name kid?" He asked her.

"Mommy calls me Denmark Allison Louise!" She giggled.

Raph chuckled and clapped his hands. "Very nice."

"My friends call me Den or Denny but I don't care I like them both. Mommy said that I couldn't have friends anymore though because I was too smart for them." She laid her head on my shoulder. "I saw you in that really loud building up on the stage. You looked funny with those girls on you and I wanted to say hi to them but I guess they didn't like me." She poked my shoulder.

"Well, a place like that really wasn't for kids. I agree though, they didn't have to kick you out like that." I started to lose my grip on her so I scooted her up a bit on my side. I grabbed her back to keep her from falling but instead of grabbing soft, human skin, I touched something hard and hollow.

"What do you have on your back Denny?" I asked her.

"Oh, mommy says I can't talk about it."

"Mommy sounds mean." Raph said to himself.

"Is not! She takes care of me!" She stuck her tongue out at him so he grinned and stuck his out too. She giggled and buried her head into my shoulder again.

"We're almost to our…house…then we can get my brother to find your parents for you." I said.

"Good, I miss them a lot."

**::**

"You have no idea how wrong that looks!" Mikey stood by the door and laughed as Raph and I walked in the lair with Denny.

"Shut up you bone head. Where's splinta?" Raph smacked him on the head.

"Mediating bro! You better get rid of that thing before he sees!"

"My name is Denmark Allison Louise!" She jumped down from my arms and stood up to my obnoxious brother.

"Wo! It talks?"

"I'm a girl!"

"You're cute! Can we keep her Leo?!" Mikey begged me.

"Didn't yah just say you wanted us to get rid of it?" Raph said while slapping the orange clad turtle again.

"She has a family and we need to find them. Where's Don?" I ordered.

"Over in the kitchen Bro. Wanna play?" He knelt down to Den's level and talked in a high pitch, child's voice.

"Sure! Play what?"

"It's called, stuff Mikey in a closet and see how long it takes him to suffocate to death." Raph pounded his fists together and stood between the girl and him.

"That doesn't sound very fun…"

"Yah! Tell him Denmark Allison Louise!" Mikey pumped his fists but then ran away screaming once Raph started to pull out his weapons.

"Brothers, what are yah ganna do. Yah got any kid?" Raph picked her up in his arms and walked into the kitchen with me.

"Nope. It's just me." She smiled. Don was sitting at the table with some contraption in his hand, obviously very focused on whatever it was since he hadn't yet noticed the addition to the lair.

"Hey Don…" I interrupted.

"Yah?" He answered while keeping his eyes glued on his project.

"How easily could you find missing parents?" I gave a confused look even though he couldn't see it.

"Well, it depends I guess."

"On what?" Den asked.

"Well, if the parents are in range of my database and if they have any records I could look…" He picked up his head and looked straight on. He slowly turned over to us and dropped his mouth when he saw Raph holding Denny.

"Hi! I'm…"

"Yeah kid we get it." Raph bounced her to get her to be quiet.

"Wha-wha…Are you out of your mind!?" Don grasped his head in his hands and growled in frustration. "You can't just bring a human down here! What if sensei sees her?!"

"He won't Donnie. We just need to locate her parents then she's out of here." I tried to calm him down to keep him from drawing attention to the situation by our father.

"Aww but I want her to stay! She's so cute!" Mikey walked up to Raph and grabbed Denny's cheeks. She giggled and jumped right into his arms with ease.

A strange feeling came over me as I watched the two of them have what looked like a tickle fight. I've never really seen such a small human before and it was, this might sound corny, the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. She was just so…innocent looking.

I heard Don sigh as he walked out of the kitchen and into his room. He came back a few moments later with his laptop.

"So, what's her name?" Don asked while Den hopped up onto the table, literally _onto _the table and slid on her knees towards him.

"I'm Denmark Allison Louise! Who are you?" She asked.

"I'm Donatello. Nice to meet you."

"You're a turtle aren't you? A slider, that's a turtle kind." Don stopped what he was doing and looked at the radiant child.

"Wow, you're really smart. How old are you?"

"I'm 4 and a half. My birthday is on Christmas!" She giggled

"I bet yah get TONS of presents right?!" Mikey jumped up on the table too and slid on his knees.

"Nanny brings me presents but I have to hide them from Mommy or she'll take them away."

"What?!" Raph sat down at the table with a concerned look on his face. "What do yah mean? She takes them away?"

"Uh…" Den's eyes shot around the room like bullets from turtle to turtle. "I don't know." She raised her shoulders. "She gets really made sometimes and gives my presents to people who need them more than I do but that's ok because I like sharing with the other kids." Don looked like he was ready to burst into tears.

"Aww…can we keep her Leo?" He looked up at me and smiled.

"Don come on." I pointed to his laptop and told him to get a move on. I would have to agree with everyone though; she was just so adorable, completely unlike any human I had ever come across. Then again, she was just a 4 year old and probably had no idea what the real world was like.

"Aww Leo just wants to keep her too." Mikey grabbed Denny and hugged her in his big, green arms. "I've always wanted a little sister." He smiled.

"I've always wanted a big brother!"

"Sold!" Don raised his hands in the air. "Oh no…my laptop is broken whatever will I do." He grinned and began to shut it.

"Donnie, as cute as she is her parents are probably worried sick about her." I tried to snap him back to reality. He whined and opened his laptop.

"Aren't you hot in those clothes kid?" Raph asked her.

"Nope. Mommy says I need to keep them on at all times." She nodded her head sharply.

"Why?"

"I don't know." She raised her shoulders again and cocked her head.

"You've got like the whole package here." Mikey touched her jacket, shoes, hat, and coat. "Very fashionable if I do say so myself." He went to point to her gloves that looked way too big for her, but when he touched them, one slipped right off her hand and landed on the table. She gasped and quickly pulled her naked hand into her lap.

"Oh sorry." He went to help her but she pulled away and frowned.

"Are you ok Den?" I raised my brow line as I watched her stare at the glove on the table.

"Can I have my glove back?" She asked politely. Mikey picked up the garment and handed it to her. She quickly threw it back on her hand and jumped off the table.

"Woah!" Mike looked at me in utter shock.

"What?"

"Her hand was green!"


	4. Chapter 4

: Chapter 4:

"NO!" Denny was hiding up on one of the beams that held up our crumbling ceiling. How she got up there…we may never know.

"Come on down we just wanna talk to yah." Raph extended a hand out to her but she squeezed tighter into the cramped space.

"No!" She tiger clawed his hand away that eventually made him give up. He came down from the small step ladder we were using and sighed in defeat.

"Well, she aint commin down." Raph turned to Master Splinter who was shaking his head. Yeah, our father had stomped into the kitchen wondering what all the noise was and saw Denny running across the living room. I believe it was his reaction to the child that made her run up onto the ceiling and hide. He scolded all of us for bringing a human into the lair without him knowing about it but of course, Mikey was sure to tell him that this child was "no human." He said she was a mutant but our Sensei was a "believe it when you see it" kind of rat so he was sticking around to see the mystery girl.

"We would not be having this problem if she was not brought here in the first place!" Sensei raised his voice but his old age refused to allow him to get past a high whisper. Was he less intimidating because of it? Hell no.

"Come on Den, we won't hurt yah." Now Mikey tried to get her to come down but he had no such luck. The small child began to chuck little pieces of rock at us that had fallen from the ceiling over the years. "Man, you really scared her Sensei, was it because you're a huge mutant rat I wonder…?" Splinter slapped our brother on the head with his walking stick and stepped forward.

"Child, please, I did not mean to frighten you but you must come down if we are to find your parents and return you safely to them."

"No!" She threw another rock down towards us but I caught it in my hand before it could hit our Sensei on the head.

"Oooh she told Sensei noooo!" Mike giggled.

"Don? Any luck?" I looked over at him as he stood up from the kitchen table with his laptop and walked over to me.

"I've got an address, Jillian Louise." He said. My mind froze and pondered the name. It sounded so familiar yet… I couldn't put my finger on it. Did I know a Jillian? "The father is Albert Louise but that's all the information my database is showing me, probably because their files have been deleted over the past."

"So their criminals…" I stated.

"Well, it's a possibility I suppose but it could also be because they haven't done anything that would flag their profiles." Don put the laptop into my hands and allowed me to read the address.

"I know the area." I handed it back to him and approached the spot below Den. "Jillian Louise. That's your mom isn't it?" I saw her poke her tiny head over the beam and nod at me. As she nodded, her hat fell off her and plummeted to the ground. For a moment we just stared at the gray burette but then looked back up the beam where Denny had retreated back in to her hiding spot.

"Now what fearless leader? May I remind you this was your idea?" He gave me an uncertain look as I began to scale up the foundation of our lair until I was on the same level as the frightened child was. I reached my arm over the opening until it was smacked away by a little hand.

"Denny? Please come out."

"No."

"Stubborn little brat aint she." I used the rock that I had caught earlier and chucked it down at Raphael who caught it with a grin on his face. Then, a pair of leather gloves came spiraling down as well and hit him right on the top of the head. "Ow."

"Den, the big mean turtle isn't going to get you."

"I heard that." He scowled.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you but I need you to come out first." I slowly, once again, reached my arm over the opening until this time, her little, three fingered hand took ahold of my thumb and allowed me to pull her out of the crevasse and into my arms. She had ocean blue eyes and her skin was a soft sea green color, almost a perfect hue to mine. I couldn't help but smile at the little mutant and I could hear all the "Awww's" coming from down below.

"She's a baby mutant turtle!" Mikey squealed and clapped his hands.

"I'm not a baby! I'm 4 and a half." She held up her fingers and tried to display her age on two hands. "See?" She put her hands in my face and smiled.

"Yes I see." I jumped down from the beam and carefully put her on the ground where she was scooped up by an energetic lime green turtle.

"I just wanna eat you up!"

"OK…can't…breathe."

"Oh sorry." He laughed and put her back down.

"Donnie, how is that possible?" I asked him with a puzzled look on my face.

"Well…I mean there could have been some mutagen that we missed during the cleanup that maybe she fell into it or something…or maybe an X or Y chromosome was already mutated when she was conceived and it passed down through her genetics. Only tests would be able to prove that and we don't have permission from the parents to do so." As you can see, Don was the "play by the rules" brother, very unlike the others.

"Are the parents mutated?" Raph asked.

"Probably not since they came up in the databases." Don pointed to his laptop and nodded.

"Only one way to find out. Come on, let's take her home."

"Can I come too? Pretty pretty pleases?!" Mikey begged at my feet.

"Get up." I grabbed his carapace and put him back on his feet. "You can come as long as you don't say a word the entire time."

"Yessir!" He ran his fingers across his mouth and nodded.

"Good luck my sons and remember, be ready for anything." I wish I had taken that last statement by our Sensei a bit more seriously. As of now, I will live to regret the day.

**I wanted to upload a chapter today but I had to be somewhere so sorry that this one is a little shorter. Longer one tomorrow! Reviews Appreciated and hope you like the story so far! Don't be silly of course you do! lol**


	5. Chapter 5

: Chapter 5:

"That's it! That's my house!" Denmark tried to cross the street to but Raphael quickly grabbed her shell and pulled her back making her scream and kick.

"Yah can't just go running into the road like that without comin up with a plan!" Raph pointed a finger at her and scolded.

"She sounds a lot like you Raph Hehe." Mikey laughed but was quickly silenced by Raph's fist. We all had on our disguises. Hats, coats, gloves etc. including Denny who looked like a completely normal kid except for the lump on her back that was her shell. Luckily for her, it wasn't as heavy and broad as my brother's or mine making it very unnoticeable from afar.

"So Leo…what is the plan?" Raph looked at me while I was keeping a heavy gaze at the little row of apartments across the busy street. House number 243 was the one Den claimed to be hers and it looked relatively normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

"That's my daddy!" Den pointed to a short, muscular man that had just walked out of apartment 243. His hair was so blonde it looked almost white from this angle.

"He's not a mutant, but he does look extremely German." Don pointed out.

"Can you say green card?" Mikey snickered.

"My Daddy is from across the ocean! He said that he left because his country was fighting too much and then he met mommy and me here in the City!" Den jumped up and down with a huge smile on her face.

"Great, the last thing I wanna do is get in a brawl with a…" I shot Raph a look before he could finish his sentence. "What?! I was ganna say German!"

"Sure you were Raph." I rolled my eyes. A strange thought came over me. Don't ask me how or why it did but it did. "What if she was stolen from somewhere? Like a lab or something?" I asked Don. I suppose I only asked that because yes I'll admit it, I was growing a little attached to this little mutant turtle. I felt almost responsible for her since we were a lot alike, mutation wise.

"It's possible, so are a thousand other things."

"You know, the more I find out about this girl's past, the more I'm afraid to give her to these whackos" Raph growled. "Leo does have a point and its makin me sick."

"Can you say…?" MIkey began

"Shut the hell up?" Raph finished, making the small turtle cower behind Donatello.

"Guys, can you focus for 5 minutes please?!" I rolled my eyes at them then continued to observe the other side of the street. He looked harmless enough, but looks can be deceiving and I wasn't ready to take any chances.

"Alright let's go." I picked up Denmark in my arms and told my brothers to wait in the ally and only to make an appearance if anything went wrong. They nodded in agreement, even though Raph looked pissed that he wasn't going to be able to stab someone's brains out. I slowly stepped out onto the sidewalk from the dark ally. This end of town wasn't as busy, so if a war did break out between us and the parents, no one would see it. I stepped up to the street and looked left, right, and then left again. Once I noted that it was clear, I slowly crossed the street with Denmark squiggling in my arms. The father noticed me right away and ran up to us with his hands clenched into fists.

"What the hell are you doing with my daughter?!" He took her from my arms forcefully and positioned her behind him. "I could call the cops for kidnapping!"

"Daddy he helped me!" Denny pulled on her father's pant legs and looked up at him. "I got lost and he brought me home again!"

"Shutup! You're in big trouble!" The sound of him raising his voice at her somehow stirred my blood and made me clench my fists as well.

"Denmark Allison Louise!" Suddenly, from the house emerged a tall black haired woman wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants. She had at least 100 piercings all over her face and arms and looked like she was on a decent amount of certain illegal drugs. I suppose the worst part was I thought I recognized her from some place; I just couldn't seem to remember where.

"You march your butt right inside this instant young lady!" She pointed a finger to the house.

"But..."

"No buts! Go!"

Den stomped her foot on the ground and marched inside with her arms crossed over her chest. Before she walked inside, she turned to me and gave a small smile and blew a kiss in my direction. I smiled back and gave her a tiny wave.

"As for you!" She walked up close to me and grabbed ahold of the collar of my trench coat. I heard the sound of Raphael pulling out his Sai's from all the way over here so I gently extended my hand behind my back and gave the signal to hold position. "Wait…" She awkwardly let go of my collar with one hand and ran it down the inside of my coat. She fingered the tip of my carapace and then pressed her cold fingers against my skin. "Do I know you?"

"Is everything ok here babe?" The husband stepped close to us.

"Helmuth go inside for a minute please. Check on Denmark." She ordered him while keeping her gaze on my shadowed face. He sighed and slowly turned away from us and went inside.

"I know you, don't I?"

"Uh...I don't think so?"

"Yes, I do. I recognize your voice." She let my collar go and held a hand over her mouth.

"Just my voice?"

"No. Your skin, your body, everything. Don't you remember me?"

"Can you say…stalker?!" I heard Mikey whisper loudly from across the street and then a slap and a scream.

"I'm sorry, I don't. Anyway, the reason I'm here is because your daughter was wondering around the sewers. You're lucky we found her before someone else did." I nodded my head and straightened my coat.

"My daughter? Don't you mean _our _daughter Leonardo?" Tears started to swell from her eyes and then out of the blue, her hand smacked hard against my face before my reflexes could react. Once again I held my hand behind my back and signaled for my brothers to stay; knowing Raphael was probably ready to blow by now.

"What are you talking about?!" I growled.

"You seriously don't remember?! How is it that I remember and you don't? Oh yeah, because_ I_ had _our_ kid! If you haven't figured it out by now she's part turtle! The doctors were bewildered! One of them even passed out on the floor!" She was wailing her arms in the air and I occasionally had to duck out of the way to avoid being slapped again.

"You got it wrong lady! I don't have a kid!" I sliced the air with my arm.

"It's Jillian." She crossed her arms. "Remember, we went to the bar together, got drunk…"

I remembered; I was in such utter shock that I refused to confess to the truth. My brothers were watching me, hearing me, I hoped they would give me time to explain before they ripped me apart limb from limb.

It was a terrible night, yet my uglier side wanted to believe it was the best night of my life. Splinter's rash violence is what led me to retreat topside and seek refuge in the closest building I could find, which happened to be the local bar. I remember now, I was so traumatized I didn't even bother to wear my trench coat and you would think those people would have freaked out and fled the place but they didn't. They accepted me, which was one of the reasons I agreed to the drinks they offered my cold broken body. Then Jillian showed up, and bad things happened behind the scenes between us. Bad, yet it was the thrill I had been waiting for. After that, when I returned to the lair and saw my brothers together on the couch comforting Raphael, I regretted what I had allowed myself to do and I've been regretting it ever since, yet keeping it a strict secret, not wanting them to bare the same burden I did.

"I remember you." I said in a hushed, yet powerful voice. "But I don't have a daughter, I think the chances of you and I having a kid is 0 to none."

"Well it happened! You know I was going to abort her? I couldn't handle it but something inside me told me not too. I've been protecting her from the world ever since, keeping the other kids from rejecting her or the cops taking her away. I've never forgotten you and I wish I would have! Helmuth has been the father to her that you never will be and whether you accept it or not, she is your daughter, and it's too late because you'll never see her again so help me God I forbid it!" She slammed both of her hands against my plastron and shoved me right into the street.

A car blasted its horn that was speeding in my direction but I back flipped over the vehicle and landed on the other side walk with my coat flowing behind me. Jillian gave me one last look before she spit on the ground and walked inside. A small green face popped out from behind apartment 243. Her big blue eyes started to fill with tears and she looked on the verge of breaking down and crying.

"Daddy?" She started to leave the house and run down the steps that led to the sidewalk. Her little legs pounded on the hard cement but when she was about to cross the street, two powerful arms caught her from behind and yanked her back into the house. "Daddy?!" The door slammed shut and that was the last thing I remembered before my entire world turned black.


	6. Chapter 6

: Chapter 6:

My eyes snapped open and I was instantly greeted by Michelangelo's bright smiling face. He leaned in close to me and patted my head.

"Did daddy get a nice rest?"

I grabbed his carapace and threw him as far across the room as I could. He landed on Donatello who was sitting in an old, green chair, reading a book. Their shells smacking together made an ear deafening sound. I would have to apologize to Don later for that one.

"What the shell Mikey!" Don threw our little brother onto the floor and stood up. "What does it take to get some peace and quiet around here?"

"Well now you sound like Raph, Donnie Hehe."

"Shut up and go get Leo some water." Don pointed to the door and watched our brother as he skipped out of the room. He laid his book down and sat on the edge of my bed.

"Raph hit you pretty hard. You've been out for almost 5 hours."

"Raph hit me?!"

"Yup, he strucketh you on your obviously very fragile head."

"I'm not fragile." I kicked the blankets off my body and swung my legs over the side of the bed. "Where is Raph anyway?"

"We don't know. Once you fell cold he took off down the street. Mikey and I had to drag your 180 pound body all the way back here and then listen to Splinter carry on."

"You didn't tell him anything did you?!" I grabbed his carapace and pulled him close.

"Of course not Leo!"

"Sorry." I let him go and slowly stood up with the help of my brother. I was nauseas for a few minutes but quickly found it easy to stand on my own again.

"Sooo…" Don twirled his thumbs and gave me that innocent look he was so good at pulling off. "Is what that lady said…true?"

"You too Don?"

"No! I just…"

"It's fine. To be honest I don't really know if Denmark is my daughter. Everything else she said is true if that's what you're wondering."

Don dropped his head and made figure eights on the floor with his two toes. "I didn't think that you…"

"Don…it's in the past and I'm not proud of it but it happened and there's nothing I can do. I can tell you that I never did it again after that." I sighed.

"I guess one time is all it takes huh Leo?" Don and I snapped our heads towards the door where Raph was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Your back!" Don smiled.

"Yeah, just in time too I see." He grinned while Mikey walked through the door with a glass of water. He stared Raph down, chuckled, and then brought the drink over to me.

"So now what fearless?" Raph stepped into the room.

"First of all…" I dropped down to the floor and swung my legs around, knocking Raphael flat on his shell. "Don't ever, touch me again. I can't believe you had the audacity to knock me out and if you knew what was good for you, you would think twice next time." Mikey giggled softly behind Donatello. I knew he always got a rush out of watching me beat up his most hated brother.

"Second, we put all of this behind us and Splinter doesn't find out."

"Wait what?" Raph got up off the floor and into my face. "You're just ganna let yah own daughter in the hands of those creeps? If I've got a niece out there I sure aint letting her stay with no humans."

"So if she _wasn't_ your niece you would just let her go?" I stepped closer to him and cocked my head to the side. He "tsked" and unfolded his arms. "I'll take that as a no." I nodded my head.

"Raph has a point Leo." Don proclaimed. "What if she really is your daughter, your own flesh and blood?"

"I don't have a daughter and that's the end of it!"

"Fine! If yah won't go and rescue her, we will!" Raph pointed to himself and then gestured to Don and Mikey.

"You absolutely will not!"

"Why do you care?" Mikey walked past me and followed Raphael towards the door. "After all, she's not your daughter." They walked out the door but not before throwing a few choice gestures in my direction.

"I can't believe this! Don you're not really going with them are you?" I stared at the fidgeting turtle in the corner of my bedroom.

"Sorry Leo, I think Denny could possibly be your daughter and I'm dying to run some tests and find out for sure. You don't have to come, but I think she would prefer to be rescued by her dad rather than us." He looked at the floor one last time, and then slowly walked out the door to join Raph and Mikey. I threw my hands onto my head and sat down on the old chair. Great, the last thing I needed was my 21 year old brother alone with two under aged teenagers.

**::**

"Denamrk?" Den's older sister knocked on the old, cracked door to her bedroom. "Can you open up please? I know you're not sleeping." The door slowly creaked open and a little green head popped out.

"What do you want?" She rubbed the top of her nose and sniffled. "Can't you see I'm having a moment here?" Her big blue eyes gazed up into her sisters.

"Can I come in? I just wanna talk." The girl kept her voice low and soft. Den slowly opened the door but only enough to let her sister in. "Mom and…dad…are asleep so now you can tell me what's been bugging you."

"You already know what's wrong." She grabbed the tissue box that was sitting on her nightstand and put it between her legs. "I'm so confused and my brain hurts so much."

"I bet your heart does too."

"Not helping Panama." She grabbed a tissue from the box and wiped underneath her eyes.

"I can't say I understand how you feel, but I can say that I understand how hard this must be for you and if there's anything I can do to help, I'll do it." She wrapped her arms around the crying turtle and pulled her close to her body. Panama was Helmuth's real daughter and Denmark's half-sister. They would have conversations late at night when their parents were asleep and talk about what it was like to be a human and what it was like to be a turtle. You could say they had a very close relationship, even if they lived in completely separate worlds.

"What if he doesn't come back for me Panama?! What if he leaves me here and I'll never see him again?! Helmuth isn't my daddy! I want_ my_ daddy! Panama I'm scared!" She grabbed ahold of Panama's shirt and cried.

"What's all the noise in here?!" Helmuth walked into the girl's room with his hands on his hips. "Why aren't you girls in bed?"

"Dad, Denmark was crying and…" Panama stood up to defend her sister.

"Go to bed Panama." The girl obeyed and left the room without another word. "Denmark…" Helmuth sat down on the child's bed and pulled her close to him. She awkwardly allowed herself to be embraced by the man but felt like she was betraying her real father and slowly broke free. "I know this is hard for you and I never would have thought I would need to have this conversation."

"You don't have to, I'm really sleepy anyway Hel…" She slapped her hands over her mouth. Helmuth sighed and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"I don't want you to think you can disrespect me just because I'm not your blood father. If you ever call me by my first name, you'll be sleeping in the basement for one night. Do I make myself clear?" He kept his voice soft but spoke with a stern tone. Den nodded and let her hands drop into her lap.

"Can I go to bed now?" She asked politely.

"I want you to understand something my dear, that man you saw out there; that _turtle_ you saw out there, he will never come close to what_ I_ am to you. I take care of you Denmark; I put food on the table." He hesitated for a moment and then smiled. "He got up and left once he found out your mother was pregnant with you." Her father was slightly beginning to raise his voice but still kept the awkward grin on his face.

Den softly gasped to herself. "He wouldn't!"

"I'm afraid he did sweetheart. You see now? He doesn't care about you like I do."

"But…" She began to speak but a small head tilt from Helmuth made her close her mouth.

"Could I maybe see him on weekends? Or holidays?" She smiled softly.

"NO!" Helmuth slammed his fist on the bed and stood up making the little girl cower against her pillows. "What I meant to say was, we wouldn't want you to be around someone who…could be a negative influence." He slowly approached Denmark and planted a kiss on her damp forehead. "Goodnight my love." He turned on the lava lamp that was sitting on her dresser and walked out the door, slowly closing it behind him. After a few tears and sobs, Den crawled onto the floor and knelt beside her bed with her fingers crossed.

"Dear God, please bring my daddy to me. Not Helmuth, but my real daddy, Leonardo. Even though I don't know him that well, I love him so much. Did he really leave like Helmth said? It doesn't matter, I want to see him again and I'll give you all my Christmas presents this year for it too. Oh and if you can't I can always ask Santa. Please, it would make me so happy. Amen."

"Denmark!" Helmuth swung the door open. "What did I tell you about doing that?!"

"I'm sorry Hel...I mean daddy!" She jumped up off the floor and crawled underneath her covers.

"Your sister teaches you the dumbest things." He pulled the door shut and once again, Denmark was alone in the dark, quiet room with nothing but her thoughts to keep her company and the soft glow of her blue lava lamp.

**::**

"I thought you guys would have left by now." I walked downstairs and saw my three brothers sitting around the table, quite awkwardly might I add.

"We decided to give yah one last chance to come along." Raph stood up with his arms crossed. "But either way, were goin."

"So what's to stop me from telling Splinter what you're up to?"

"Yah really want our father to know that you're a father too?" Raph smirked. "Didn't think so fearless. So last chance, yah comin' or not?"

"If I knew for sure that Denmark was my daughter, I would be all over an immediate rescue. What if we go up there, get in a whole lot of trouble, and then it turns out she was just another pet shop turtle that somehow got mutated?"

"Well what if we find out she really is your kid and it was too late? You can't afford to think like that Leo." Don frowned. I sighed and shook my head.

"Alright fine."

"YES! Let's go rescue my niece!" Mikey jumped up and punched the air with his fist.

"Hey, she's my niece too bonehead." Raph grabbed Mike and rubbed his fist against his head.

"You guys were so serious about this and yet you're wasting time." I started to head towards the door and they instantly ran up along my side.

"And where do you think you four are going at this hour?" We all did an about face where our Sensei was holding onto his walking stick and swinging his tail back and forth rapidly.

"Cherry picking?" Mikey deserved the blow that followed from Raphael for that one.

"Just a late night patrol Sensei." I tried to sound as causal as I could. "We'll be back soon."

He rubbed his chin with one hand. That's what he did whenever he was deciding whether to let us out or not. "I expect you back in one hour."

"Yes Sensei." We all said simultaneously and rushed out the door like a pack of hungry wolves. So much for casual.


	7. Chapter 7

: Chapter 7:

"Apartment dead ahead!" Mikey whispered to us while pointing to the small, red brick apartment.

"Thanks for the obvious statement." Raph rolled his eyes and ran out of the ally.

"Raph! What are you doing?!" I tried my best to keep my voice down but yell at him at the same time.

"What? No one's around. Lighten up fearless." He flipped over a fire hydrant and landed gracefully on the sidewalk across the street.

"Don't you remember what happened last time you told me to lighten up?!" I ran out of the dark ally and joined him on the other side.

"Why what happened?" Don and Mikey came up behind us.

"Nothin. Grown up business." Raph grinned.

"Hey!" They both yelled.

"Guys enough! I guess I need to train you harder in the art of stealth! Now shut up and move." I pulled the team into the closest ally I could find and led them up the fire escape. We made it to the top of the roof and looked out over the night lit City. "Ok so now…"

"Down here!" I turned around and noticed that Donatello was missing. I bent down over the side of the building and saw him standing on the escape and pointing to a window. "There she is." We all jumped down and landed softly next to him. I wiped some condensation of the small window and looked in. There lying in a worn bed, was a small child.

"That lava lamp is beautiful" Mikey whispered.

"We don't even know if that's Denmark." I sighed. The lump moved and switched positions so she was facing the window. Her eyes were shut and even in the blue lit room, we could tell this girl was a mutant turtle.

"She's so cute when she's asleep." Mkey squealed.

"Yah, so are you cuz yah do the same thing she does when she sleeps." Raph shook his head.

"What, look like an Angel?" He batted his eyes.

"No, yah shut up." He chuckled while Mikey whined and faced the other direction.

"So how do you propose we pull this off?" Don asked.

Raph pulled out a Sai and slipped the longest blade underneath the window. He carefully popped it open and lifted up the protective screen.

"We aint pullin off nothing. Leo's goin in there. We're waitin outside." Raph slapped my shell and urged me forward. I shot him a look of disgust before slowly crawling in through the tiny open space, barley making it in yet scrapping my shell on the way. It was a small descent to the floor but I managed to land softly enough without waking Denmark.

"Oh boy." My stomach for some reason began to churn as I watched the small girl sleep peacefully in her bed. I couldn't deny the resemblance we shared, it was actually almost scary. She was sleeping on her stomach to avoid lying on the shell on her back. It was slowly rising and falling with every breath she took and small puffs of air blew gently out her nose and stirred a stray tag on her pillow. I smiled and couldn't control the next thought that came into my mind. This girl was my daughter, and I was ready to lay the smack down on anyone who tried to keep me from her.

"Denmark." I sat down on the edge of her bed and rubbed the spot where her shell was. She moaned and moved her body but kept her eyes shut. "Denny." I whispered and pulled the blankets off her body and down to the end of her shell. She gave a small squeak and rubbed one hand against her eyes. Even in the dark, their blue tint was visible from a mile away. She dropped her hand down and looked straight at me. When she finally registered who was sitting at the edge of her bed, her eyes widened and her smile reached to the sides of her head, where a pair of ears would be if it weren't for the turtle DNA.

"Pinch me I'm dreaming!" She raised her voice but I held a finger over my mouth to tell her to keep it down. "You came back! Oh I just knew you would!" She jumped out of the blankets and threw her body against mine. Her small arms barely reached my back and I was just now noticing how small she really was. "I'm so happy you're here daddy." She rubbed her head against my plastron and wept. My heart must have stopped beating for a few seconds once I found it hard to catch my breath. This girl, she was the real thing and I felt a new sense of leadership fall into me, especially when the doorknob to the room began to wiggle.

"Denmark get down." I stood up off the bed and used my arm to keep her behind me. The door slowly creaked open and a tall teenage girl walked in. It was hard to see her in the darkness of the room but it was easy to tell she wasn't Jillian.

"Oh my God. Denmark is this him?!" She smiled and cupped her hands over her chest.

"Yes it is!" Den jumped out from behind me and grabbed ahold of my hand.

"Is it that obvious?" I smiled.

"I told you he would come back!" she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Everything our parents said about you was wrong. They said someone like you wouldn't bother stepping foot here again." The girl smiled.

"Yah, they said that you left when mommy was pregnant with me."

"Huh?" I looked down at her, then at the girl. "I didn't even know she was alive until yesterday."

"I know, our father would have said anything to get Denmark to believe you were the enemy." She sighed and knelt down on the ground where Denny ran into her arms.

"And who are you?" I held my hand out in question.

"I'm Panama, Den's older sister."

"Please tell me you're not mine too?" She laughed softly and patted her sister's head. "No, Helmuth is my dad. You seem like a nice guy, except those swords on your back are questionable." She smiled.

"It's quite a long story." I chuckled.

"I've got time; besides, if you're taking my sister away I think I have the right to know if she's being taken by some homicidal, oddly muscular whacko."

"I'm not taking her away."

"What?!" Den left her sister's arms and ran up to me. She placed her hands on my legs and looked up into my eyes. She had Donatello's innocence, the stare I couldn't resist that always made me give in. "I want to be with you daddy."

"Don't even try that with me."

"Well why not?" Panama stood up and crossed her arms. "I think she'll be happier with you."

"No, because if I take her I'm going to feel condemned to bring you too." I placed my hands on my hips. She shook her head and smiled.

"Why? I'm happy here and I'll be even happier if my sister is too. I don't blame her for wanting to be with her biological dad. Helmuth is a jealous person though, especially over Denny since she's unique so don't think he'll easily let you just come up and take her." She frowned.

"I couldn't possibly…" I stopped. Panama gave me a weird look and stepped towards me.

"What's wrong?" She waved her hand in front of my face.

"Denmark! I thought I told you to go to bed?" A man's voice was heard outside in the hallway.

"Shit, that's Helmuth now!"

"What's a girl like you using such vulgar language?" I asked.

"Hey, you may be her dad but you sure aint mine. Now you better go before…" The door swung open and hit Panama right in the back. She stumbled and fell in my direction where I easily caught her in my arms. A hand reached into the room and turned on the light. We all gasped as the German man known as Helmuth, walked in. I growled and pulled the girls behind me to protect them. It seemed to have taken him a minute to digest what scene was in front of him. He laughed and rubbed his nose with his hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" He had an awkward smile on his face. "Get away from my daughters freak." Bad move pal.

I stood up straight and laughed sinisterly. "Excuse me?" Den grabbed ahold of my leg while Panama kept one hand on my shell.

"You heard me. Panama, Denny, I want you to get away from him." He ordered but the kids stood frozen. I couldn't stop Panama from obeying or disobeying, but I certainly could stop Denmark.

"Dad…this is Denmark's father. You have to let her go now." Panama said in a hushed voice. If I wasn't mistaken, I could tell these girls were afraid of Helmuth, making me that much angrier.

"Panama, I want you to stay out of this. I've been raising Denmark since she was a kid pal, so don't think you can just take her whenever you want to."

"Actually, I can." I reached behind my back and pulled out my katana. He took a few steps back but still kept that ugly smile on his face. "What if I took Panama away from you? How would it make you feel?" He shifted positions and blew air out his nose. "You would be angry because she's your daughter and some homicidal whacko is keeping her away from you." I heard Panama giggle from behind me.

"You're not taking my girls." He smiled.

"You see, now I'm going to have to kill you." I raised one of my katana to his neck. "Last chance, step away and I'll leave you in only _two _pieces."

"I'm not going anywhere until my daughters are out of your shitty mutant hands."

I sighed. "Very well." Suddenly, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo took turns jumping in through the window and landing in the room with their weapons at the ready. Panama jumped and grabbed ahold of my arm.

"Who's hungry?" Raph growled and spun his Sais.

"I'll soften him up for yah Raph." Mikey laughed.

"Jillian!" Helmuth ran out of the room and started to run down the hall screaming like a little girl.

"Hurry! You have to leave now!" Panama pushed us towards the window.

"Aw, but I just got here!" Mike whined.

"Go!" Raph pushed him up to the window and out followed by Don and then himself. I picked up Denmark and handed her to Raph once he was outside.

"Come on!" I waved Panama toward me but she shook her head. "I'm sorry? You don't have a choice and I don't care if I'm not your father." I jumped behind her and egged her forward.

"Please! He'll just get madder if I run away! I'll be fine just get Denmark to safety!"

"I'm already involved so just cooperate." I boosted her up to the window where Raphael pulled her through. Footsteps began to pound down the hall like thunder and I could hear Jillian screaming in terror. "I'm sorry." I jumped up to the window and squeezed through. "Climb!" I yelled to Panama. She nodded and followed Raphael up the fire escape. Once we made it to the safety of the roof, we took a minute to catch our breath and regroup.

"I have to go back." She began to walk away but Raphael grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"No child has to live with that kind of torture." He said.

"I'm 14." She pulled her arm away.

"What about Aunt Gina?" Denmark asked.

"What about her Den?"

"We could get away from Mommy and Helmuth! We love Aunt Gina I'm sure she would us you stay." She smiled.

"What's with all this 'us?'" Raph grinned and rubbed Den's head.

"Leo said that…Daddy said that he wasn't going to keep me." She looked up at Raph and batted her eyes. If she had an orange mask and her skin was a little lighter she could practically be Michelangelo. Raph looked at me and crossed his arms.

"Is that so?"

"Raph…"

"Don't." He held up a hand. "Get yah act together Leo. She's yah kid!"

"I don't need you to tell me how to be a parent!"

"Guys…" Don interrupted. "We should probably get a move on." In the distance, police sirens began to echo and flashing lights illuminated the buildings.

"Come on, I'll show you where she lives." Panama waved us on.

**Hey guys! Hope you like it so far! Thanks for all the reviews!**


	8. Chapter 8

**I got so into this story that I wrote three chapters in one day! Lol **

: Chapter 8:

"There it is." Panama pointed to a small green apartment that was squished in between two larger ones.

"How adorable!" Mikey held his hands to his chin and smiled making Raph roll his eyes.

"Come on, she's blind so don't worry about her seeing you." Panama led the way out of an ally we descended into and across the street to the cozy little home.

"Obviously." Don mumbled from the back of the group.

"She's probably awake by now with our Uncle."

"Is he blind too?" I asked.

"No, but he won't care, trust me." When we reached the front steps, Panama walked up the door and rang the bell. A few moments later, a tall, old man opened the door slowly.

"My land, Panama? What are you doing here this late at night?" He looked over at us with a confused expression. "And you brought guests! Quickly come in before you freeze yourselves to death." The man opened the door wider and allowed us to come in. "Susan! Our nieces are here!" The man yelled up the stairs.

"It's so cozy in here!" Mikey took a deep breath of air and slowly let it out. "Smells like pie!"

"Yes, Susan makes apple pies for the children's home every year and the best part is, the smell still trails on weeks after they've been delivered." He tapped Michelangelo on the shoulder and chuckled.

"Yes I'm coming Wilbur!" A thin old lady with soft gray hair came down the stairs. "Oh what a lovely surprise!" Denmark and Panama ran and embraced the woman. They laughed and exchanged kisses. I wonder if she knew what Denmark was, being blind and all.

"Susan, there's four gentleman here that look like our youngest niece." Wilbur proclaimed. Susan's milky white eyes made contact with ours and she smiled with delight.

"You don't say? Please, come in! It's quite drafty by the door. Make yourselves at home and you can tell us all about how you came to be here." She walked through a small hallway that led into the kitchen. Right next to it was a small living room decorated by a fireplace and a beautiful grandfather clock. I had to admit, I was pretty impressed and that's saying something.

"Wilbur dear, could you make our guests some tea while I chat with them?"

"Sure thing sweetheart." Wilbur departed into the kitchen while the rest of us found places to sit in the living room. Susan sat in an old rocking chair and folded her hands into her lap.

"Now then, what brings my nieces to my home?"

"It's father, he's gone insane." Panama exclaimed.

"Oh no, not again. I told Jillian that man was no good for her but she insisted on marrying him. Please, tell me he hasn't harmed you?" Susan grabbed her nieces' hands and squeezed them tight.

"We're ok Aunt Susan, things got pretty scary though." Panama said. "Would it be too much of a hassle if I stayed here with you for a while?"

"Oh dear don't be ridiculous! You can stay here forever if you would like! Wilbur and I would love to have you girls with us." Susan smiled joyfully.

"Aunt Susan, it would just be me."

"Well what do you mean?"

"You see, Denmark's Dad came back for her." Panama looked over at me and smiled. Susan gasped and held her hand to her mouth.

"Has he? Oh sweetie you must be so excited!" She leaned over to Den and gave her a hug.

"I am Aunt Susan but I'm worried about Pan."

"Oh sweetie don't you worry. Your sister will be in good hands and the first thing I'm doing is calling the authorities against that despicable man you call a father." She nodded her head. "Now, where is this dad of yours?"

I stood up off the ground and made my way over to Den's Aunt. She slowly stood up off her chair and laid her hands on my plastron. She moved up to my shoulders and down my arms.

"Strong young man aren't you?" She bounced with a smile, making me blush uncontrollably. "Yes, I believe it. You better be good to my little Denny you hear? Be the father she never had." She let me go then sat back down in her chair. "What took you so long anyway my boy?"

"I didn't know she existed until I found her wondering the sewers, alone." I gave her a look and she hid behind her sister while giving an innocent smile.

"Then it was fate that brought you two together." She grabbed my hand and ran her fingers across my three. "Now who are the other three gentlemen?"

"Hi! I'm Michelangelo! Denmark's coolest uncle man I add." Mike threw his hands behind his head and leaned against the wall.

"Susan, these are my brothers: Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo." I pointed to each of them as I said their names, not that it mattered to her.

"How lovely."

"Here you go folks." Wilbur strolled into the room with a platter full of crackers and teacups. Raph slammed his hand against Mikey's plastron to keep him from leaping into the snacks.

"So when can I move in Aunt Susan?" Panama said while placing a small cookie into her mouth.

"Why, right now my dear. We will go shopping first thing we can and get you some decent clothes to wear. We can turn the spare bedroom into yours and paint it whatever color you like."

"Gee, you make me wanna move in Aunt Susan." Denmark giggled.

"Aww Denny, want us to paint your room for you too?" Mikey teased.

"Yes! Hot pink please!"

"Heck no!" he threw his hands on his hips.

"We can worry about that later guys." I reminded them. "I guess we better get back to the lair."

"Of course, but promise me I can visit my niece once and awhile. Bring her up here anytime and don't let my sister take her from you." Susan said.

"Of course."

"Alright, take some cookies with you Denny." Wilbur pointed to the tray. You didn't have to tell her twice. She cupped her hands and stacked eight cookies high while munching on a ninth. Panama jumped up from her seat and carefully hugged her sister goodbye.

"Keep in touch, you know my phone number right?" Den nodded at her. "Ok, bye little sister. I'll miss you so much." She planted a kiss on her forehead and stood back up. "I love you."

"Love you too Pan. I'll see you soon though."

"Keep her safe." Panama walked up to me and threw her arms around my neck. "Thank you for coming back." She whispered into my ear.

**::**

"Hi!" As soon as the door to the lair opened, Denmark ran in and found Master Splinter sitting at the kitchen table drinking tea.

"Denmark? I thought you returned home to your parents? What are you doing here?" Splinter picked her up and put her on his lap.

"Daddy brought me home."

"Uh Denmark!" Raph ran over and took her from Splinter. "Sorry Sensei, she is just ganna…"

"Let her speak!" My brothers and I stood frozen as Denmark began to tell our father the whole story, or as much as she could remember. She couldn't help it, little kids loved to speak their mind.

"Then I got all these cookies from Aunt Susan!" She put the remaining three cookies out of eight on the table. "I sort of ate some on the way." She smiled.

"You're telling me that my son…Leonardo, is your father, correct?"

"Yes sir! Does that mean you're my grandpa?!"

"I suppose it does young one." Splinter sounded irritated.

"Sensei I can explain…" I stepped forward but he stopped me.

"There is no need for me to yell over this matter. What is done is done and we must focus on the future instead of the past."

"So, you're not mad?" I asked.

"No my son, I am furious but I am just not showing it. The fact that you went out, got drunk and slept with a woman makes me want to batter you with my walking stick." He waved it in the air. "But, a beautiful thing has come out of it. We have been blessed with this child and we must do all we can to show her the ways of good, unlike her father."

"Hey! My Daddy is awesome." Den tapped Splinters nose.

"Yes, but there is much about your Daddy that you do not yet understand but in time, you will come to learn these things. I will teach you what I have taught him for nearly 18 years."

"Uh Sensei, I don't think…" I began to protest.

"I will teach her. Consider it punishment for going against my wishes Leonardo."

"Burn." Mikey giggled.

"Oh don't be so hard on him Sensei; he's a first time father after all." Raph slapped my back and grinned.

"Yes, but I don't want you three to get any idea's either." Splinter stood up and handed me my daughter. She grabbed ahold of my mask and tried to pull it off my face.

"Ow ow! Stop." I pulled her hand away and took off my mask. I handed it to her and helped her put it on. Wasn't a very good fit but she looked like a ninja already.

"I need a cool ninja name!"

"No you don't." I smiled down at her.

"Yeah I do! Something like…Lisa!"

"LISA?!" Mikey fell onto the floor and started cracking up. "LISA!"

"How about _Mona_ Lisa?" Don suggested.

"Eh, too long for my taste." Raph butted in.

"The painting _Mona Lisa_ was created by Leonardo Da Vinci so it fits perfectly." He gave a sheepish smile.

"HA! Don you are the man!" Raph laughed and gave his brother a high five.

"Fine, but were never using it." I smiled.

"Hey!" Den poked my cheek and pulled her bottom lip over the top. I had to look away before I would be swallowed up by cuteness.

"I've gotta admit Leo, yah can really make one hell of a kid." Raph rubbed the top of her head.

"I'd like to see a spawn of Raph. It would probably look like a cow or some other grazing mammal." Mikey slapped the floor with his hand and began laughing again.

"As long as it doesn't look like you Mikey, I could care less." Raph shot him a wink.

"I think I'm ganna like it here." Den threw her arms around my neck and gently kissed my cheek.


	9. Chapter 9

: Chapter 9:

A lot happened in the following years, maybe even more than I could have handled. I had to give up being a Sensei until Denmark was old enough to take care of herself and since she clung to me like her life depended on it, growing up wasn't anywhere in her schedule. My brothers spoiled her like crazy, even Sensei allowed her to do things that I didn't want her doing but the one rule I had that everyone followed, was that she was never to leave the lair. Her Aunt and Uncle understood my concerns and said a few phone calls every month would subdue. Panama kept in touch with her sister but as the years dragged on, she called less and less until she completely stopped calling.

Denmark grew rapidly in only 3 years as in, she looked almost 16 when she was only 7 and already she was on the verge of even becoming taller than me. Her vocabulary and speech improved and she was practically talking like an adult, having normal conversations with us and paying attention during her training with Master Splinter whenever he was feeling well enough. This brings us to the present day, about two years later.

The lair was silent and not even Michelangelo was goofing around and being his old self. We suited up with our coats, hats and gloves that Don brought back for us. It was in the middle of December and today was a special anniversary.

"Ready?" I checked my team and made sure my daughter was in the middle of us to prevent her from running off. This would be the first time she will leave the sewers in 5 years.

"Do I have to go?" Her beanie fell over top of her eyes and covered her face. I moved it back up and positioned it better on her small head.

"Yes, and don't get any idea's either." I opened the door to the lair and led the team through the sewers. We would stay underground until we reached our destination.

"Will we do this every year? I don't think I'll be able to handle it." Mikey said in a hushed voice.

"It's the right thing to do Michelangelo, even if it brings back hard memories." Don put an arm around our youngest brother.

Raph and I had developed a joint agreement over the past years that he would keep an eye on Denmark whenever I had to take over in leader mode instead of dad mode. So she walked directly in front of him with a scowl on her face and her arms crossed over her chest as he kept a close watch on her. Sometimes I believed she was more like Raphael then myself. She would cook up devious plans to get her own way like causing Mikey and Raph to fight in the dojo while she went out to the kitchen and stole a whole box of cookies from the cabinet when I was busy separating the fight.

The jacket she was given was way too big for her body and continued to slip off her shoulders even after countless attempts to fix it by Raphael.

"If yah jacket falls down one more time I'm rippin it to shreds." Raph growled.

"Then you have to give me yours Raphael." She teased.

"That's_ uncle_ Raphael to you kid."

"Guys pipe down, we're here." I led them over to a ladder where we would surface.

"Uh…I don't know about this." Den tapped her fingers together and tightened her lips.

"Oh you'll be fine." Mikey pushed past her and began to ascend up the cold, metal ladder. "Last one up's a rotten turtle."

"After you…" Don politely gestured Denmark to the staircase but she shook her head and took a few steps back. "Why it's only a ladder? Aren't you always complaining that you want to go up top?"

"Well it's scarier in real life."

"Guys go ahead and wait in the ally for me." I pointed to the ladder for them to go; I needed to have a few words with my daughter. Raph grinned and followed Donatello to the surface.

"What are you ganna let at me for this time?" She crossed her arms again and sighed.

"I'm not going to yell at you Denmark. I need you to remember how dangerous it is up here and I'm not going to deal with your shenanigans understand?"

"Geeze, you sound just like Helmuth sometimes." She put one hand on the ladder but I grabbed her arm and pulled her away.

"Helmuth and I had one thing in common, we wanted to keep you safe and that should be enough for you to want to listen."

"I do want to listen!"

"Good, now is something bothering you?"

She shuffled her feet and looked at the ground. "I wanted to go topside, but not like this." I sighed and put an arm around her shoulders. She wrapped her arms around me the best she could and sunk her face into my jacket. Denmark never cried except on very rare occasions.

"I know, I'm right here with you sweetie. You don't have to go through this alone." I kissed the top of her hat and rubbed her back which always seemed to calm her down.

"I don't want to do this every year."

"I understand, let's not worry about that right now though ok? Are you ready to go up?"

She pulled away from me and rubbed her eyes with her gloves. She slightly nodded her head and placed her hands on the ladder.

"Well it's about time." Raph reached a hand out and helped Denmark up through the hole. I came behind her and counted four turtle heads.

"Alright, stay together now." I said. It was only 5 o'clock but the sky was already darkened by a heavy overcast. The lights that came from the buildings all around reflected off of tiny snowflakes that began to fall from the sky. Denmark gasped and held her hand out to catch one.

"What are they?" Denmark said dumbfounded.

"What? Yah never seen snow before?" Raph chuckled and stuck out his tongue, letting the little flakes fall on it. Den smiled and copied his actions, giggling every time a snowflake landed into her mouth.

"This is defiantly a Kodak moment." Don smiled.

"Alright guys, let's keep moving." I waved the team on, but making sure Raphael had ahold of Denmark first. I led them silently and carefully across the busy walkway where we blended right in with the crowd of people. Den was looking around tensely at everything, asking what this was and what those were but very rarely getting a response. She would look at the people, stare into their eyes and somehow be swallowed with a great deal of wonder and curiosity. I suppose keeping her locked up for 5 years had its…negative effects.

"Oh trees!" She pointed to a group of tall trees lined up in a row.

"Yup, that's where we're going, Central Park." Don pointed out.

"Ooh a park!?" Den laughed but then frowned and fell silent. She knew we weren't going there to play; today was a day of mourning.

Alone, in a small forgotten corner of the park, was a section of dead trees and debris, hidden by thick brush and shrubs. No humans as far as I knew, knew about this place which was why we chose it for the reasons we did. We trampled through the thick grass until we reached a small clearing.

"Well, here we are." I frowned and stared at the small object in the middle of the grass. I stayed aside and allowed the others to slowly make their way in except Denmark, who clung onto my arm and covered her face with her hands.

"I can't believe it's been a year already." Mikey sighed and placed a small orange rose at the bottom of the small stone. He stepped back and allowed Raphael to place his rose on top of the orange one. Don slowly stepped up and planted his purple rose on the ground. He kissed his hand and then rested it on the stone.

"Leo…" Raph called me over. I slowly walked towards them with Denmark still clenching onto me, refusing to look up. I let her go for one second so I could lay the last, blue rose on top of Donatello's.

I took a step back and sighed. "We miss you, father." For a few minutes we stood there in silence and allowed the wind to pass over the roses. I slowly looked up and read the gravestone with tearing eyes. "Splinter: Loving Father and Grandpa."

"It just aint the same without him." Raph said in a distressed tone.

As much as I hated to hear one of us say it, he was right. Things had changed dramatically around here on a violent level. We may seem to be getting along now but we all fought more and more every day since our father passed. It took three days for me to find Raphael in the City to get him to come to the grave site and pay his respects. It was also getting harder and harder to keep Donatello and Michelangelo from following his lead but I managed to get them to stay. I continued training with Denmark until I thought she was good enough for the age she was at. She had no weapons, but was just as good with fists and feet.

"We better go before we freeze our shells off." Don blew into his hands and rubbed them together.

"Alright, let's get going." I counted to make sure everyone was here, but they weren't; three adults but no teenager. "Where's Denmark?" I looked around to see if maybe she was hiding behind the guys but there was no sign of her anywhere.

"That little…" Raph clenched his fists and began to look through the bushes.

"Everyone split up!" I ordered and we all split into different directions to search for her. I thought I remember telling her that I wasn't going to deal with her shenanigans! I ran over into the heavy brush and made my way out to the edge of the lake. Even at this hour, children were running and climbing all over the huge rocks that were placed all around it. I looked closely at the dark figures and tried to pick out any that could possibly my mischievous daughter but had no such luck. Then again, she is practically a ninja now so I guess I should try and think outside the box a little. If I were Denmark, where would I go? I looked up to the sky at the tall trees that watched over the park like still guardians. What better way to get a view of the City then to climb one of these things.

"Denmark!" I yelled upwards but had no response. "Denmark Allison Louise you better get you shell down here this instant!" Kids, who were running around, stopped next to me and gave ugly looks.

"Who yah lookin for?" One of them said.

"My daughter." I answered.

"What yah lookin up there for?"

I growled and tightened my fists. I really didn't have time for this. "Look, I'd love to stay and explain to you why I'm looking up into a 200 foot tall tree but I'm a little busy right now."

"I saw a girl climb into a tree."

"You did? Where?!" I grabbed ahold of the kid's shoulders frantically.

"Over there." He pointed across a small playing ground where a huge oak tree stood out in the open. Sure enough, a dark figure could be seen scaling the overhanging branches.

"Thanks kid, go find your parents. Don't get lost!" I ran off as quick as I could and approached the bottom of the tree. I jumped up and grabbed ahold of the person's leg and sent them crashing to the ground, on top of me.

"What the hell?" She screamed, but it wasn't Denmark.

"Uh, sorry. I thought you were someone else." I smiled apologetically as she jumped off of me, straightened her jacket, and walked away. "Denmark, where are you?!"

**::**

I finished climbing up onto the last branch and carefully stood up. Once I gained my balance, I lifted my head and looked out over the City. You could see everything from up here! Even the red, white and blue lights on top of the empire state building were visible from afar. I have no idea what my dad was talking about, it's amazing up here! I could see each and every snowflake falling from the sky and shining up like the stars in the sky. I held my hand out and watched as pile of them cumulated into my palm.

I don't remember much about my past except that I have a sister who is staying with my Aunt and Uncle and I was rescued from my home against a terrible man named Helmuth. Whenever I ask my dad about them he either shoves me off or gives some stupid, useless answer.

Out of all my uncles, I would have to say Donatello was my favorite, but don't tell anyone. Raph was Leo's enforcer and Mikey was always too busy with his stupid video games to spend time with me but Donnie, he would always welcome me into his lab whenever I was feeling lonely and my dad was too busy training. I don't understand all his smarts and stuff but he's a really easy guy to talk to and discuss your problems with. He won't even say a word while you're speaking, he just listens.

My dad is my hero though. Sometimes I sneak into the dojo while he's training alone and watch his moves while trying to copy them myself. He reminds me a lot of Master Splinter, always talking about mind and body connections and all that ninja stuff that I never quite understood. I couldn't stand being without him for extended amounts of time right after Splinter died. I guess I was just worried that he would die too, and I would find him lying lifeless on the floor, just like I found Splinter.

"Hey kid! What are you doin all the way up there?" Some guy screaming up into the tree made me lose my balance and wobble from side to side. I flailed my arms in the air to try and steady myself but nothing worked. My legs fell out from underneath me and I went crashing 100 feet to the ground.


	10. Chapter 10

: Chapter 10:

"AH!" I was falling so quickly that I zoomed past the snowflakes on their way down from the sky. I stared up into the dark abyss as it became smaller and smaller and I braced myself for the deadly impact that would happen anytime now. My shell would break, piercing my soft, tender skin and my father would have to find me lying in a puddle of blood. Now they would mourn Splinter's and my death on the same day all because curiosity got the better of me.

"Gotcha!" Suddenly, when I was about to become one with the ground, two arms wrapped around me and pushed my body to the side with excessive force. We went crocodile rolling in the soft blanket of snow until our bodies came to a complete stop somewhere a few yards away. The person quickly jumped off of my aching body and held out a hand. I grabbed it and allowed them to help me off the ground.

"Thanks." I rubbed the back of my head where it was sore from the roll.

"Your father's ganna kill you." It was Donnie!

"Don!" I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek. "You saved me! How did you find me so quick?"

"Actually…" Now he rubbed the back of his head. "I saw you run off while we were still at Master Splinter's grave site. Then I just followed you once Leo freaked out." He smiled innocently.

"Wow, I thought you would yell at me first chance you got if you saw me."

"Nah…I'm the nice one remember. But if you would have died just a few seconds ago I would have to live with the fact that I didn't stop you from climbing that tree. So do me a favor and stop the stupid nonsense before you get hurt." He grabbed my arm and tucked it underneath his. "We're leaving now dear."

"Do me a favor Don?" I asked him as we stepped lightly through the snow.

"Hmm?"

"Don't let my dad kill me."

"I can't make any promises but I'll try."

**::**

"Do you realize how much danger you just put us all in especially yourself?!" My father paced the living room as he forced me to sit on the couch and listen to his little "preaching" session. "You could have died! What if Donatello wasn't there to save you?!"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" I said with one finger in the air.

"NO!"

"Well then, I guess I would have gone splat." I smacked my hands together.

"Listen kid, your dad's got a point. If yah ever want us to trust you in the real world you better start showing us your capable of doin so." Raph sat down next to me and threw his arm over my shoulder. "I know Leo says you're a lot like me but that doesn't mean yah_ have_ to be. Get the picture?"

"No not really."

"Let me sum it up for you then. If you EVER pull another stunt like that you will never leave this lair again!" My dad pointed to the ground with a finger.

"You can't do that!" I stood up off the couch and stomped a foot on the ground.

"Try me." He crossed his arms. I growled and clenched my teeth together to keep me from saying something I would regret.

"I hate you…" Yah…like that. I threw my hands over my eyes and ran off as quick as I could to my room. I slammed the door shut and positioned an old wooden chair under the doorknob so no one could get in; an old trick Master Splinter showed me back in the day. I fell onto the floor and started to bawl my eyes out until my face was soaked with sorrow and I had cried all the tears my body would give me. I feel over sideways on the floor and tucked my knees to my carapace. I couldn't believe I had just said that to my own father. The swelling of guilt made me remember everything he had done, including rescuing me from my home prison and taking me in under his wing. Great, now _I'm_ the monster.

I must have passed out on the floor because when I woke up, my body was shivering violently and my face was tacky with dried up tears. I slowly sat up off the ground and read the small clock I had on my nightstand. I'd been out for 2 hours, long enough for everyone to decide that I'm the worst brat in the world. I stood up off the ground and removed the chair from under the door. I slowly turned the bronze knob and carefully pushed it open.

"You're awake!" Mikey was walking through the hallway with a big brown box in his hands. "I can't believe you blew up like that Denny." He frowned. "Then again, Raphael's beast stirs inside you." He chuckled and rubbed the top of my head before walking off to his bedroom.

I sighed and walked down the stairs with my arms crossed over my plastron. I hate to say it but, it's so quite in here without Master Splinter. Oh no, Master Splinter. I told my dad I hated him on the day his father died! I fell down on the step and started to cry once more. I've never cried this much in my life, I was usually tough, whenever my dad wasn't around of course. I had to find him and apologize before my guilty conscience kills me. I looked around the lair, in his room, even in the dojo but there was no sign of him, Raphael_ or_ Donnie. So I went down the hall to Donatello's room where he was sitting in front of a bunch of plasma TV screens and wearing a small headset. He was speaking words into it that I didn't understand things like scientific words and all that…technical stuff.

"Hey Don?" I spoke softly and he quickly swirled his chair around to greet me.

"Hello dear. I see your knocking skills are better than ever." He gave me a soft smile. He teases me a lot, if you couldn't already tell.

"Have you seen my dad anywhere? I need to apologize for what happened earlier." I frowned at the memory.

"Oh yeah, I heard about that. But no sorry, I haven't seen him since then. I think he went out with Raphael though." He tightened his lips and raised his shoulders. "Sorry."

"It's ok. I'll just go look for him then." I gave a devious smile and started to walk out the door.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Well I need to find my dad and you don't know where he is so I'll just go look for him."

"He went out ok that's all I know." He stood up from his chair and blocked the door. "I swear I don't know anything."

"Relax Don, I don't mind going to the surface and telling my dad that _you _let me go there and look for him." As you can see, I tease him as well but I'm so much better at it. You can thank my Uncle Michelangelo for that quality.

"He's in Splinter's meditation room but you can't go in there. Besides, you don't even know where it is." He poked my shoulder, making me stutter back a few steps.

"So…you lied? I'm shocked Donatello." I grinned and raised my brow line, making him throw his arms down to his hands. He hates when you point out his flaws, then again, so do all my uncles, but him more than the rest.

"Leo told me to make sure no one disturbed him. So it wasn't technically lying if I was protecting my brother." He smiled with satisfaction.

"Is he ok?" I gave up.

"I don't know…you really hit home for him. Just stay here until he's finished with whatever he's doing ok? Be good for _once _in your life?"

"Fine, do you have something I can do?"

"Sure!" He smiled brightly and led me over to a small wooden table. "Sit here." He ran over to a large cabinet and opened the big, squeaky doors. He pulled out a few bright colored boxes and laid them in front of me. "I know how to keep you entertained for hours." He opened the box and poured a bunch of white, fluffy powder into a beaker and put a water bottle next to it. "Slowly add water to the powder and stir. Have fun."

"What's it ganna do explode?"

"No, if I wanted to kill you I would have done it already, don't be silly." He sat back down in his chair and faced the TV screens. I sighed and grabbed the water bottle. I won't be entertained unless a baby horse pops out of this. I opened the bottle and started to pour a little bit of water in. I used a piece of stray wood from the table to stir the mixture. It was easy at first but slowly became harder and harder to stir.

"What the heck is this stuff?" I added some more water but it refused to let up. "Grr!" I stabbed it with the wood but miraculously, the mixture turned to a solid. "WO!" Slowly, the stick sunk into the beaker, like quicksand.

"Now touch it." Don said. I slowly stuck one of my green fingers in the liquid/solid and picked some up with my fingers. It would be hard when you moved it around but when you stopped, it would turn back into a liquid. "Oh…my…nutcrackers this is amazing!? Why does it do this?"

"It has to do with the length of a molecule of cornstarch and stuff you wouldn't understand." He said.

"I don't care this is awesome! I'm ganna go show Mikey!" I grabbed the beaker and took off out the door.

"Den!" Don called for me but I kept running into the living room and up the stairs with a beaker full of a creamy liquid.

"Hey Mikey." I ran into his room and grabbed a handful of starch. "Catch!" I threw it towards his face but he grabbed it with one hand before it could hit him. Then, the stuff started to seep through his fingers and fall onto the floor. He screamed like a little girl and shook his hand around in disgust.

"EW Denny!" he suddenly stopped hoping around and touched the stuff. "What is this? Its…kind cool."

"Corn starch and water!" I smiled. "Don showed me how to do it."

"Cool, you should go through some at Raph. He'll love you forever if you do." He gave a devious laughed and rubbed his hands together. "Oh shell…" He opened his palms that were now both dripping with the liquid.

"I'd show dad but…" I frowned.

"I'm sure he'll be out of the meditation room soon kiddo." He walked up to me and threw a hand onto my shoulder.

"EW!" I pulled away and ran back downstairs before he could rub it all over me, but before I could reach the bottom of the stairs, someone was already there waiting for me. "Dad?!" I tripped on the last step and lost my balance. The beaker flew out of my hands and in my dad's direction. He quickly stepped towards me and caught my falling body with one arm, and the beaker in the other. He examined the glass container and then handed it back to me.

"What kind of mischief are you getting into now?" He didn't sound like his old self, and his face was lacking its normal sea green color.

"Dad I wanted to apologize for earlier. I don't hate you." I dropped my gaze and lowered my head to the floor. "I shouldn't have said that, especially today."

"You shouldn't say it ever." He slightly raised his voice and folded his arms. I must have really done a number on him like Don had said. Usually when I do something wrong he forgives me after I apologize, not make it worse.

"I'm sorry."

He sighed and wrapped his arms around me. "I'm glad you're ok though."

"Really?" I said with a sarcastic tone, making him slap me on the head slightly.

"I got a call from your Aunt." My heart dropped. Something always goes wrong when someone says that kind of line. "Helmuth decided to pay a visit."

"Well…that's good I guess?" I grabbed onto the back of his shell, embracing for the bad news that I knew was about to come. "Is everything ok?"

"It was a good thing Raphael was there. He said he got some kind of message from Splinter while we were at his grave saying that he needed to watch over their home. Helmuth tried to take Panama but Raph stopped him just in time. There are there way back right now."

"You mean, I'm going to see my sister?!" I let go of him and laid my hands on his shoulders.

"Yes but, you should know something Denmark..." He began but I was too excited to listen.


	11. Chapter 11

: Chapter 11:

Raphael and Panama returned to the lair a few hours after Denmark and I discussed it. She was broken and battered, there were a few scars running along her face and even a few wrinkles were visible underneath her baggy eyes. Den hesitated at first when her sister walked in and kept her distance. They hadn't seen each other in almost 5 years and it seemed to have done a number on their relationship.

"Den…" Suddenly, Panama broke down in tears and ran to her little sister. She wrapped her arms all the way around her shell and cried on her shoulder. "I've missed you so much baby girl." When I looked at Den's face, I knew that she sensed something was up but I wasn't going to feel bad, I tried to warn her but she didn't listen. They held onto each other and cried but I had a feeling that Panama was crying for a different reason rather than because she missed her sister. Raph told me over the phone that something was up but he didn't really go into details.

"It's so good to see you Panama."

"You've grown up so much." Pan pulled away from the embrace and cradled her sister's shoulders. "You're a beautiful teenage turtle. Just like I knew you'd be."

"I'm only 8 Panama." She giggled.

"Really?" Pan looked surprised.

"Uncle Don said my mutant blood aged me quicker than I should have. So now I'm an 8 year old teenager."

"Seems complicated." Pan laughed but you would be a fool to not hear the fakeness in her voice.

While Denmark and I got panama comfortable, got her a hot beverage and covered up her minor wounds, Donatello tended to Raphael over on the kitchen table. Apparently Helmuth was armed with a ballistic knife when he visited and somehow got in a few lucky shots at our brother. He seemed to be alright though; I just hoped he left large enough pieces of Helmuth to put in a coffin. Once he was all patched up, he said he was ready to explain everything that went on. We gathered in the living room together while Panama sat down on the floor and let Denny braid her long brown hair. Sadly, Denmark hadn't been around very many females recently so I couldn't guarantee Pan that the braid would be stylist quality.

"So what went down brother?" Michelangelo jumped into the recliner and sprawled out his legs. Note to self: less training in combat, more training in manners.

"Yah want me to start Pan?" Raph asked her and received a small nod.

"Well, I already told yah's that I got that weird vision during our time at Master Splinter's grave. So I did what he said and went to the apartment once DENMARK was found." Raph shot his niece a look, making her smile innocently. "I didn't get there in time though. The door was busted wide open."

Panama sighed and shivered at the memory. "I tried to block the doors but he somehow got in. I got Wilbur and Susan to safety in the basement but me and my…" She stopped. "Me and Cody were caught."

"Who's Cody? Is he your boooyfriend?" Denmark teased.

"No…she's your niece." She smiled.

I've never seen Den shut up that quickly in the history of me being her father.

"I…I have a niece?!" Denmark smiled and laid her hands on her sister's shoulders.

"Yes."

"Well where is she?!"

Raph and Panama frowned while letting their heads lower to the floor.

"By the time I got there, he had already taken her." Raph clenched his fists and growled softly.

"It's not your fault Raphael!" Pan looked at him with concerning eyes. Raph tended to do some really stupid stuff whenever he went on unnecessary guilt trips, hence why he used to come home drunk so many times. Once and awhile he would bare a few scars or have dried blood running down his face, a symbol of having taken part in a brawl.

"We're ganna get the kid back, and deal with that bastard at the same time." He pounded his fists together.

"What ever happened to Jillian?" I asked.

"I think she's still living with him, but I don't know much more than that." Pan frowned at her incomplete response.

"So let's go get this guy." Mikey stated the obvious.

"Wait, there's more." Pan held up a hand.

I don't think I can take much more." Donnie covered his eyes.

"Helmuth said he wouldn't give me Cody back unless I handed over Denmark."

This is when your instincts as a father kick in and I didn't care if Panama was my daughters sister, I would beat her to the ground if she tried to take her from me. Unfortunately, my instincts as a leader told me to hear her out before jumping to conclusions. I could even see the surprise in Raphael's eyes when he heard her statement and I knew instantly he would back me up if Panama tried anything. Don and Mikey also shot each other looks and shockingly enough, Don actually looked angry for once in his life. I knew he cared deeply about his niece and I was worried if he would spring into action before I had the chance to.

"So what do you propose?" I folded my arms, telling my anxious brothers to stay back.

"I…"

"Panama!" Denmark stood up. "Are you seriously thinking about giving me to that monster?! I know it's your daughter's life at stake but we're sisters for crying out loud!"

"Denmark…I don't know what to do! I love both of you equally but you can handle yourself. Cody can't! She's only 4 years old!"

"Den could handle herself at 4 years old." Raph grinned, obviously very proud of his niece.

"Cody isn't a mutant turtle with hyper sensitive DNA! Den's brain grew faster than her body and by the time she was 3 she could put together a 5000 piece puzzle in 15 minutes!"

"Wow really?" I looked at her and she smiled.

"It was nothing really, and actually it was 12 minutes." She bent her wrist in the air.

"Not the point baby girl! What I'm trying to say is…I really need your guys help. Maybe you could put those swords of yours to good use?" Pan looked at me and smiled.

"What, by killing your dad?" I said.

"No, rescuing my daughter!"

"So what's to say he doesn't come back and kidnap her again?" Raph said with a bit of attitude.

"And you were _just _considering handed Leo's daughter over to Helmuth and you still want us to help you? The nerve!" Don said with emphasis.

"Why not call the cops?" Mikey said. His statement stirred something inside of the troubled mother. She knelt on the ground and covered her face with her hands. After briefly sobbing, she looked up into my eyes.

"He said if I called the police…he would kill Cody."

"How long is he giving you to turn in Denmark?" I knelt down next to her and laid a hand on her back.

"24 hours or else'…and that's all he said." I watched as she began to cry again, feeling helpless, I simply rubbed her back. The only reason I was even considering a rescue mission was because I knew what it felt like to have your own child taken from you.

"Alright…" I stood up and nodded at my brothers. "We'll be right back." They followed me out of the living room where I would lead them upstairs to discuss what to do. "Don't leave that room. Got it?" Both the girls nodded at me.

**::**

I grabbed a cup of from the kitchen and filled it to the rim with hot water from the sink. I pulled out a box of teabags that Master Splinter had used and removed one of the precious bags. Leo said we were only to use them in case of emergencies and my sister's sanity seemed like a good reason. I slowly carried the hot beverage over to the living room and laid it on the side table.

"I'm really sorry about your daughter. You must be heart broken." I helped my sister up off the floor while rubbing her back gently.

"Now I know how your dad feels Denny." She tried to laugh through her tears and managed a small smile. "It's so hard to know that someone else, some crazy person has your child in their hands."

"Here, drink this." I handed her the mug while she sat down on the sofa.

"You were always so good to me Den." She patted my cheek as I sat down next to her.

"So…why did you stop calling?"

She took a sip of the tea and closed her eyes. Don told me that Splinter's tea did magic, hypothetically, but it seemed to be working on her quite well. "I had Cody."

"But that was four years ago. You stopped calling me up to _two _years ago." I hated to make my sister feel bad but I was troubled about the topic.

"Den, some things are just best left unsaid." She smiled and nodded. I couldn't believe this; she wasn't acting like her old, jolly self. I didn't know if it was because she was 18 now and lost all her childish feelings, or that her daughter was kidnapped and on the verge of death. Either way, this wasn't the girl I remembered, who came into my room every night and comforted me when I had a nightmare.

"I want you to tell me." I hardened my voice, making her sigh and sink her mug into her lap.

"I stopped calling because…I was too busy with other things. I started college, I had a very clingy boyfriend and on top of it all I had a job."

"So they were more important than your own sister?"

"Den…nothing is more important than you. You could have called me you know."

"I did! You never picked up!" I threw my arms across my chest.

"Your right…I didn't. The truth is… I wanted to have a normal life and being related to a mutant just wasn't normal to me."

"So having a kid at 15 is normal?" I cocked my head. Her statement didn't bother me; her _insult _didn't bother me only because we had grown so far apart over those two years. Plus my dad taught me to take insults with humility and treat them as compliments, which I did so very well.

"Denmark, ignoring you was the greatest mistake of my life. If I could take it back I would!"

"Yeah now you say that when you need me in order to save your daughter." I could feel Raphael's anger factor burning inside of me, so much, that I wouldn't be able to control what came out of my mouth if Panama argued with me for much longer.

"Denmark…believes me when I tell you that is not the case! I love you and I just want my baby back and I promise once she's safe I will call you every day." She took my hands in hers that were hot from holding the mug.

"I'm sure my dad will come up with a rescue mission. He's really good at that stuff you know." I smiled gently.

"If he decides not to though…" She abruptly stood up. I ignored the warning bells in the back of my head that were saying to get the hell out of there.

"He will." I said softly.

"I'm sorry Den; I can't afford to think like that. Not while my baby's life is at stake, forgive me." Her eyes suddenly went bloodshot and her lips tightened. At first I thought I had an idea what she meant but then the sudden pain in my side told me a different story. A small sound escaped my lips and I found my hands clutching my sisters at the side of my shell, where my skin was vulnerable.

"Pan…"

"I'm so sorry."

I felt my eyes role into the back of my head and the world around me began to spin in violent circles until everything was dark and my body went cold.

**I wanted to just thank you guys for all the reviews! (No the story isn't over)They really help me when I write and keep me going. **


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